The Open Hands Ministries of HUMC needs your help! 

​

The Open Hands Ministries provides support for the staff and students of our neighbor, Harrison Elementary School, year-round while also providing safe activities and opportunities for the children of our congregation and our community! This ministry has many different facets, all of which require the dedication and hard work of many individuals. Because there are so many facets with such great needs, there is a place for anyone and everyone to become involved with a part or all of what we do! Here are some of the many things we do, and would love to have you involved in! 

​

Each Christmas we deliver Scholastic books for each student to choose the book they want and to take home.  We go into the classrooms and talk with the kids about the importance of reading and how our congregation loves them and wants to share this gift.  We also at that time give each teacher and staff a nice treat bag and 1 or 2 reams of copy paper, which is like gold to them.

​

Through the year we show our love and appreciation to the teachers by filling a basket with treats, words of encouragement, and community coupons.

​

HUMC makes multiple donations of school supplies, clothing needed for unexpected accidents, and volunteers for school activities.

​

We have a volunteer program called Reading Buddies that allows a teen/adult to sit down one on one with students who need extra help with reading; maybe sounding out words, comprehension, sight words, or even just a chance to have someone listen to and care about them.

​

Along that line Harrison United Methodist Church is a sponsor of Read Aloud 15, a national initiative to get parents and caregivers to read to their children at least 15 minutes each day from birth.  HUMC distributes materials and resource information to three area daycares and at events such as Kindergarten pre-registration.

​

We collect from the congregation Christian themed/character building books and are allowed to put them out at HES for children and parents to take and keep.  This is a way we can get the stories of Jesus’ love and acceptance into community homes.

​

We have a Narthex collection spot for Aluminum can pull tops that go to support Ronald McDonald House, grocery Box Tops for HES, and used eyeglasses and pieces that go to LensCrafters to be repaired and taken to disadvantaged countries.

​